We’ll keep trying right the way until Thursday, but it’s not an easy market. There are a lot of people looking for very few players right now

And Mackay admits the search for new blood is far from over with the Championship home straight in sight.

“I’ve certainly tried during the last week,” he revealed.

“There was one I thought was a distinct possibility, but it’s turned out it was not to be.

“We’ll keep trying right the way until Thursday, but it’s not an easy market. There are a lot of people looking for very few players right now. It’s something we’ll keep at. Mr Sharpe, Jonathan Jackson, Matt Jackson and myself are continuing to work hard on that.”

While his three emergency loan signings to date have been aged 21 or under, this time Mackay is looking for a seasoned pro to add experience to the mix.

“You need somebody that, when they speak to me, they see I want them in the team, I want them to play,” he said.

“Somebody who’s probably not playing at their own club at the moment, but definitely somebody who is up for the fight.

“I’m not sure we’ll be looking for too many more young ones, because we’ve already brought two or three kids in to beef up the size of the squad, just to give us a bench. I’d love to bring in a couple of men now, a couple of players who have played 200 games.

“But if we’re being realistic, I’m not sure there are too many of those going around right now.”

As well as his emergency loanees, Mackay also drafted in Sheyi Ojo from Liverpool and Leon Clarke from Wolves on conventional loan deals during the transfer window.

Clubs are restricted to a maximum of five loan players in each matchday squad.

Latics take a break from action this week because of international fixtures.

James McClean is expected to play a big role in Ireland’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Poland on Sunday.

Elsewhere, William Kvist and Denmark host the USA in a friendly on Wednesday, with Billy Mckay and Northern Ireland facing Scotland.

The following day, Emmerson Boyce and Barbados face a World Cup qualifier away to US Virgin Islands, with Ali Al Habsi and Oman playing Malaysia and Kim Bo-Kyung’s South Korea taking on Uzbekistan.